Combined rule and square.



No. 682,637. Patented Sept. I7, I90I. W. F. PUFFER.

COMBINED RULE AND SQUARE.

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1901.1

(No Model.)

I 1| H Jfl m J ma W Jw' -m J r .5 @W m Id r] l 1 5 ml in 6 o H\ W I v 9m.H

llllllllllll Illllllllllllllll U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

WVILLIAM F. PUFFER, OF NEWTON, ALABAMA.

COMBINED RULE AND SQUARE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 682,637, dated September1'7, 1901 Application filed April 1, 19(11'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FREDERICK PUFFER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, resi(1 ing at Newton, in the county of Dale and State ofAlabama, have invented a new and useful Combined Rule and Square, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined rule and square; and the object ofthe invention is to provide a simple, accurate, and durable device ofthis character which can be manufactured at a low cost.

The device involves in its construction a rule, which may be of anysuitable character, an arm carried by the rule and shiftable to oppositesides of the same and forming in connection with said rule a square, anda single stop in posit-ion to hold the arm in either of its shiftedpositions, whereby the device can be employed as a square, and this stopserves to accurately position the shiftable arm with respect to therule. In the'present case the arm constituting one of the members of thesquare is pivoted to a face of one of the arms or branches of a foldablerule.

\Vith these ends in view the invention consistsin the novel combinationof elements and inthe construction and arrangement of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described and claimed. I To enable others tounderstand the invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodimentthereof in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a combined ruleand square constructed in accordance with my invention,showing theshiftable arm as extending transversely from one of the sides of therule. Fig. 2 is a similar view show- :ing the shiftable arm in itsopposite transverse position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rule and theshiftable arm folded. Fig; 4 is a longitudinal central section taken inthe line at, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Like characters denote like and corresponding parts in each of theseveral figures of the drawings.

In the drawings I have represented a rule A of ordinary constructionconsisting of two main branches or arms 2 and 3, respectively,

SerialNo-53,876. (NomodeL) adjacent to the joint 4 the recess 5, hereinillustrated as being rectangular, to receive the correspondingly-shapedoffset or extension 6, formed upon the arm or branch 3, as

shown clearly in Fig. 1. By providing this offset or extension I amenabled to pivot the auxiliary arm of the rule, hereinafter moreparticularly described, at a point directly in line with the abuttingedges of the two main arms 2 and 3.

The auxiliary arm of the device is designated by 7, and it is shiftablyconnected with one of the main arms of the rule in such a manner as tobe disposed at a right angle to either of said main arms, as indicated,respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2, so that my device can be employed as asquare. In the present case the auxiliary arm 7 is provided at its innerend with the extension 8, pivoted, as at9, to the main arm 3 of the ruleat'a point in line with the engaging edges of said main arms. Theextension 8 is of less width than the auxiliary arm 7, thereby producingthe shoulders 10 and 10, which are adapted to be engaged by a stop, as12, disposed in their path. The stop 12 is secured near one corner ofthe main arm 3 and is preferably rectangular in shape and is adapted toengage against the correspondingly-shaped portions of the shoulders 10and 10' and extension 8, respectively, as indicated clearly in Figs. 1and 2.

In Fig. 1 the auxiliary arm 7, which fits flatwise against the outerface of the main arm 3, is represented as occupying a position at aright angle to the rule A and the stop 12 is'shown as being inengagement with the shoulder 10, thereby to hold the branch arm in theposition indicated, whereby it and the rule serve in conjunction as asquare, it being evident of course that the stop alluded to serves tomaintain the branch arm in such location with precision. This arm 7 canbe shifted across the face of the rule untilit occupies a positiondirectly opposite that in which it is'shown in Fig. 1, as indicated inFig. 2, in which case the stop 12 will engage the shoulder 10 when ithas reached the proper place, thereby correctly positioning the same.The auxiliary arm 7 is foldab'le upon the rule, and its width issubstantially the same as that of the latter.

The device constructed as aforesaid can be produced at a low cost andcan involve in its construction a rule, either of one or two arms, ofthe well-known makes, and it will be understood that the auxiliary armdescribed is shiftable to both sides of the same and is accuratelylocated by a single stop,which serves to maintain the same in itsshifted positions.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In adevice ofthe class specified,the combination of a rule consisting of two jointedarms, one of the arms having a recess to receive an offset on the other,and an auxiliary arm pivotally connected to the main arms at apoint inline with the abutting edges of the two main arms, said auxiliary armbeing disposable at a right angle to either of said main arms.

2. In a device of the class specifieththe coinbination with a ruleconsisting of two jointed arms one of which has an offset and the otherof which is recessed to receive said oifset, of an auxiliary arm pivotedto the arm of the rule which is provided with the offset, in line withthe edge of said arm and having shoulders, and asingle stop on the armof the rule which carries said auxiliary arm, in position to engageeither of the shoulders, substantially as described.

3. In adevice of the class specified,the combination with a ruleconsisting of two jointed arms, one of which has an ofiset and the otherof which is recessed to receive said offset, of an auxiliary arm pivotedto the arm of the rule which is provided with the offset, in line withthe edge of said arm, and having an offset forming shoulders, and a stopon the arm of the rule which carries said auxiliary arm, in position tobe engaged by either of the shoulders, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. PUFFER.

Witnesses:

W. J. RocERs, L. H. SINEA'lI-I.

